The move is expected to save several domestic players from the stifling price competition from imported modules.
Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman has assured on levying basic custom duty on solar modules and that it shall be implemented from April 1 2022. As per North India Module Manufacturers Association (NIMMA), an industry body, the move is expected to save several domestic players from the stifling price competition from imported modules.
A meeting was convened on Thursday this week, wherein a delegation of officials from NIMMA, Indian Solar Manufacturers Association and All India Solar Industries Association met with the finance minister and raised their concerns with regards to manufacturing units that are on the verge of closing due to the current duty-free window on solar panels and cells from China and other countries.
The delegation also made an appeal to her to exempt the modules and cell line plant and machinery from import duty.
Manish Gupta- President, NIMMA spoke to the media stating that the meeting with Sitharaman was highly promising as she recognized the industries requirement for policy assistance to grow and achieve its full potential and that with the implementation of BCD and other additional measures the domestic manufacturing industry shall be relieved and at the same time supply-chain gaps will be addressed.
Bharat Bhut- Co-founder and Director of Goldi Solar said that the decision shall prove to be a boon for the Indian module manufacturing community who have been facing several difficulties and disruptions up until now. Aligning itself with the government’s vision of becoming energy-independent, Goldi Solar has also increased its capacity to 22.5 GW and plans to expand to 5 GW.
Besides Gupta other dignitaries present in the meeting were Vineet Mittal, Arpit Aggarwal, Manish Agarwal and Sandeep Gupta on behalf of their respective solar associations.
